February 2017

Moondog was the nom de plume of Louis T. Hardin. He was a New York City street musician and former beat poet who was blinded as a young adult. From the late 1940s until 1974, he was a permanent fixture on 54th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan. He was known not only for his music and poetry, but also for the distinctive Viking garb that he wore, including a horned helmet. In a search for new sounds, he also invented several musical instruments, such as the “Oo”, a small triangular shaped harp, and the “Trimba”, a triangular percussion instrument invented in the late 40s.